Neither did Dennett mention this. Which supports my view that his animus is specifically anti-Christian. Catholic women are not second-class citizens in any respect, regardless of the fact that the Church will not ordain women as priests. One has only to look at the veneration of Mary (so disturbing to some of my Reformed Church friends) to know that she is indispensable to the Church's entire self-concept.
You wrote:
"Now, if you read this the way it was written, it is obvious that he is talking about religions that try to force people to follow their tenets. Or religions whose tenets are no longer compatible with modern standards of individual rights, and whose support will just wither at the light of reason. In a nutshell he is saying that all religions will have to adapt to the intellectual environment or they will go extinct."
This is just more claptrap. Christianity forces no one to be a believer. Islam does, however: Historically, it has converted folks by the sword....
You forget that American constitutional tradition holds that people have individual rights because these rights are endued in them by God the Creator, and that therefore no just government may infringe these inalienable personal rights of life, liberty, happiness (or private property).
"Modern standards of individual rights" actually are devoted to group rights. The dignity of the human person as an individual has no other basis than that he is the creature -- and son -- of God.
Older morality will "wither" in the light of reason? I strongly doubt it, CG. For "modern standards of reason" are becoming increasingly irrational. And if you had read Dennett a little more closely -- rather than just giving it a superficial read, and taking the man at his word -- you would perhaps have noticed this.
Christianity does not "adapt to the intellectual environment," for it stands for eternal truths. The Catholic Church in particular has been the great bastion of reason, in addition to faith, for two millennia. Why should it change, just because a bunch of Left Progressives think they can "sell" a second reality to people who are already committed to the First Reality of the great hierarchy of being, ordained by God?
It is said that some 90 percent of Americans describe themselves as theists, and this number is overwhelmingly Christian. Do you really believe that the blandishments of Dennett, Dawkins, Lewontin, et al., are going to persuade these people to "dump" God and His Law in favor of the preferred passing fancies of Left-Progressive academics?
Argghh! I think you, too, may be living in a second reality, my friend.